Collapsible garment hanger



P [1942- c. N. BERGSTROM 2,296,624

COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT HANGER Filed Sept. '7, 193'? Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT HANGER Carl N. Bergstrom, Portland, Oreg.

Application September 7, 1937, Serial No. 162,629

1 Claim.

My invention relates to hangers for garments such as coats, trousers, dresses and the like.

The present types of hangers do not meet various conditions that are desired by .the trade or public. The I majority are non-collapsible and the wire hanger is objectionable in that the same tends to form a crease in the garment, especially to trousers folded over the cross bar. This type of hanger also provides no surface area for advertisements and thus is given to the public by the cleaning establishments-without this advantage. Also the present type of hangers that are collapsible are complicated of construction and heavy in weight.

The object of my invention is to present features that are new and novel and give to the trade and public a hanger that is exceedingly light in weight, practical, and readily collapsible.

The main object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger as formed of a single strip of material, such as card board, or paper folded and glued to form a firm strip which in turn is folded to provide a central portion and end members folded inwardly to lie upon said portion. The folded strip is then formed to attain an inverted U cross section throughout the entire length thereof and wherein said end members will constitute the angular members. These members will pivot on an inverted U-shaped hinge whereby a portion of the sides of said members, adjacent said hinges, will overlap the sides of the ends of the central portion when said members are in their angular position which thus tends to steady said members when their free ends are secured together. When these members are folded to their closed position, the central portion will fit compactly within the same and thus provide a compact unit wherein a number of the same may be compactly stacked one within the other as for packing. Various types of hooks may be provided for securing the free ends of said angular members together wherein my hanger may be compactly folded either by removing the hook or by providing means whereby the hook will automatically adjust itself to said folding of the hanger.

Another object is to provide a hanger that is of exceedingly cheap construction which is accomplished by forming the same of a flat strip of material, such as paper, which is first cut to the desired length, then folded to provide a memher which is formed in a press to attain an inverted U cross section.

Another object is to provide a wide bearing surface for garments carried thereon and also a large surface area upon which advertisements or the like may be presented.

Such advertisement may be printed before the same 'is folded which is practical and inexpensive.

A still further object is in providing a hanger of such form of construction that a number of the same may be snugly stacked, one fitting within the other and thus readily packed for shipping. I

My hanger is preferably formed of paper or thin metal and thus will be very light in weight and is manufactured as follows:

A flat strip of material of the desired length and width is scored to provide a central portion that will function as the cross bar. The end portions are then folded over at said scoring to lie flat upon said central portion but with the end of one of the folded portions overlapping the other end. This provides a flat member which is then formed in a press or the like to attain an inverted U cross section throughout the entire length thereof. The end portions when raised will then form the angular members of the hanger and may readily hinge on the score lines as when opening or collapsing said hanger. Various types of hooks may be provided of which a number are illustrated in the accompamring drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates my hanger in open position with the free ends of the angular portions secured by a clip and hook therewith which may readily be detached for allowing said hanger to be collapsed.

Fig. la is a fragmentary perspective of one of the two similar ends of my hanger to more clearly illustrate how the hinges are an inverted U shaped continuation of the endsof the central [portion to the angular members.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my hanger to show how the free ends of the angular members are pressed together to thereby provide'a? rigid poi"- tion which is fitted into a v clip'secured to the shank of a hook.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing how the clip secures the free ends of the angular portions and the hook shank is offset to one side.

4 is a perspective of the hook and the clip therewith.

Fig. 5 illustrates my hanger as collapsed without the hook.

Fig. 5a shows diagrammatically how a number of collapsed hangers may be stacked in compact relation with each other as for packing.

My hanger is preferably formed in the following manner:

As seen in Fig. 1 a strip of flat stock is scored at'b and d in a manner to establish a central portion as a which constitutes the cross bar of the hanger. The end portions as c and e which constitute the angular portions are then folded over to lie on said portion a wherein the free end of one of the angular portions overlaps the other enii. This member is then formed in a press or the like to permanently attain an inverted U cross section throughout the entire length thereof.

The end or angular portions e and e may hinge on the scored lines b and whereby the hanger may readily be opened or collapsed. =Said hinges wilLthusbe of an inverted U shape and will thus efficiently support the weight of a garment mounted thereupon.

As previously mentioned there are various methods in which a hook may be secured to my hanger.

In Figs. 1-5 I illustrate a hook that may readily be secured to or detached from said hanger. The free ends of the angular portions 0 and e are scored at f and h whereby the same are compressed as at g and z and fitted one within the other. A V shaped clip 1' provided with a hook k is fitted to said ends from beneath for locking them together. The shank kl of the hook. is

oflset to one side of the apex 7' I of the clip and lies in a recess 7'2 provided in the side 7'3 whereby .both sides :13 and 7'4 will firmly grip said ends and prevent the same from being pulled apart. 1

This clip may easily be removed when the hanger is to be collapsed, as seen in Fig. 5, to form a compact member as,,A.

Due to the inverted U shaped cross section of this member throughout, any number of the same may be stacked one within the other as seen in Fig. 5a and thus be compact for shipping. Being that my hanger is of light weight, the expense of shipping is at a minimum.

As can readily be seen, my hanger is practical in that the same is light in Weight, simple of manufacture and capable of carrying the various types of garments that may be mounted thereon.

Also my hanger is provided with a large surface area for presenting an advertisement of establishments that donate hangers to the public.

I claim:

A garment hanger of the character described comprising a crossbar of uniform inverted U cross section throughout the entire length thereof, an arm at each end thereof, also of inverted U cross section throughout its entire length and wherein each of said arms is joined to the ends of saidcrossbar by inverted U hinges, means for securing the free ends of said arms together when at their angular positions and a hook provided therefor.

CARL N. BERGSTROM. 

